alicia_ann_reads's reviews
483 reviews

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I chose this book for the Diverse Baseline challenge for a translated work. 

I did enjoy the premise of the story; we have 4 separate people who visit a coffee shop that allows you to travel back in time for the length of a hot cup of coffee; each story focuses on love and loss and grief and forgiveness 

I also learned this was originally written as a screen play and as I read the audiobook I think that greatly helped it. 

Bride by Ali Hazelwood

adventurous funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Actually really enjoyed this one!
I guess this is my first knotting book, but I loved the consent, and the ending.

Via audiobook.

Hell Followed with Us by Andrew Joseph White

adventurous dark fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

This book had great trans and autistic rep, and it was incredibly action packed. 

On a personal level, I don't think I enjoy a lot of Gorey bits so it wasn't my favourite, but aside from that very enjoyable! 

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam

adventurous emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

It took me a little bit to get into everything and grasp the writing style.

We've got multiple POVs but one is written as if telling the other character the story from their perspective and it was jarring at first but then I loved it. 

This has heists, and magic and DRAGONS, and backstabbing and murder and twists! 

I did a buddy read which made it better and this book helps contribute towards my local charity for the Trans Rights Readathon 2024!

Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America by Rick Perlstein

informative medium-paced

4.0

This one was way more interesting than Before the Storm, and scary how eerily similar this book parallels to today...

Read this for the reading North American history club, and it was significantly easier to digest. I did do this one via audiobook which helped, though I definitely tuned out somewhere in the middle lol! 

The C*ck Down the Block by Amy Award

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Cute fluff. 
Body positivity, friends to lovers.
I was not a fan of the locker scene, mostly because it's goes against everything they set the MMC to be like. That scene was more reminiscent of a well seasoned lady. 

(This is my attempt to not make it spoilery) 

This was a group read with some friends so that makes it better. 

The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Thought this was an excellent book 1! Action packed, had some really amazing MENA mythology, twists and an ending that makes me want to immediately pick up book 2!

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

adventurous funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This was a strong start to a new series. I love a book with animal familiars and the magic system is quite neat.

I have a love hate relationship with Lettle and I'm not sure if it's because the narrator did her voice in an annoying nasal sound or if it was truly her character but God she was whiny lol. 

Some nice queer rep in this book as well with a few intimate scenes that were not overpowering or the purpose of the plot. 

I enjoyed the story arc and will definitely pick up the next book. 

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Aside from the slightly confusing character POV, which probably would have been eliminated outside audiobook this novella packed a punch. 

I Want to Die but I Want to Eat Tteokbokki by Baek Se-hee

informative fast-paced

3.0

3 because this was fascinating to basically read transcripts from therapy sessions, and I could relate to many of the issues discussed, and see it in some close family members. 

It felt like the psychiatrist was trying out a lot of different things, but maybe that's partly how things should work to find the right fit. 

Because I'm not confident with the advice I'm middling.